Chapter Eleven: Change in Plans


The next morning Brian awoke to the sound of the phone ringing. He had gotten in late last night after meeting Paige for their date and was very tired. The shrill sound of the phone was ringing in his ears and giving him a headache.

"Ugh.." Brian groaned as he reached for the phone trying to find it. After having no luck he heard something fall off the table next to his bed. He sighed. He lifted his head to see what fell, seeing it was nothing important he once again seeked out to find the phone that was still ringing.

"Hello?" He said sleepily to the person on the line.

"Brian?" A voice asked.

"Yeah?"

"Hello this is Bob Carlson ya know your manager."

Brian perked up. "Hey Bobby! How's it goin? To what do I own this pleasure?"

Bob sighed. "I can already tell you your not going to like this." He paused. "We have to call everybody in for a meeting today at Jive Records Orlando. You know where that's at."

Brian covered his face with one hand and sighed. "What time?" He then looked at the clock to see the time, 12 o'clock.

"Two thirty."

"Alright Bob thanks for the call I'll give Nick the message too."

"Alright. Oh and Brian why are you at Nick's place anyway? I thought you were staying with Kevin?"

"Well I wanted to give them some space being married and all and on vacation. So I'm staying with Nick. Why?"

Brian could hear him sigh over the phone. "Well I thought I would call Nick first. You know how he's always late." He laughed.

"That's true."

"But please keep us informed of your ware abouts Brian. Just incase we have to get a hold of you. Please make sure your here on time. It's very important you are."

"You got it Bob. I'll see ya at the meeting! Bye."

"Bye."

Putting down the phone he decided to sleep another hour or two. He turned to the side to set his alarm then turned to go back to sleep. This was going to be a long day. He just hoped good things would come of this meeting.

---------------

"NICK! WAKE UP!" Brian yelled while pounding on Nick's door. He had slept in and still hadn't told Nick about the meeting. They were already going to be late. It was over an hours drive to Orlando from Tampa where Nick lived. 'Shit! Figures this would happen.' "Nick! Man you have to get up! Now!" 'Man he's a heavey sleeper.' Taking it upon himself he opened the door and was shocked to see what he found on the other side. There in the middle of Nick's bed lie Nick and Mac curled up in the covers. Nick had his arms wrapped around Mac and she was leaning back agenesed his chest. Both of them were out cold but smiling. Brian's heart sank. 'Man why do you even care anymore? She didn't have any feelings for you. She said so herself. Besides, you have Paige now.' Yet he still couldn't shake the feeling of them becoming closer everyday. Things were changing and he could tell. But then again Brian hadn't known them when they were teenagers.

Walking over to Nick's bed he started shaking him. "Nick man ya gotta wake up. NOW!" Nick only stirred yet Mac didn't move once. "We need to leave!" Brian said shaking him more. He sighed. 'You pick the wrong times to be tired. Oh well desperate times call for desperate measures' Brian leaned over Nick and grabbed his nose, pinching it, and waiting for him to wake up. Before he knew it Nick's eyes flew open and he was gasping for air.

Nick's body flew up in bed knocking Mac over the left side of the bed and waking her also. You could hear an "Ugh" sound from her. He turned to his right to see a laughing Brian. Nick on the other hand was not happy. "BRIAN! WHAT HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!?" Nick yelled. Brian just kept on laughing.

"I'm sorry Nick but I had to get you up. Bob our manager called me earlier this morning and told me we all have to meet in Orlando at 2:30 and it's now 2. We have to get out of here now. We're late enough as it is. And to think Bob called here first so you wouldn't be late and slept in." Brian explained. "Man your a heavy sleeper."

"Your telling me!" Came a muffled voice. "It took me forever yesterday to wake Nick up I had to literally jump on him. But Brian did you really have to do that? I was trying to sleep here." Mac replied. She was still lying on the floor next to Nick's bed.

"Sorry guys. Nick get ready we have to go now." Brian said before walking out the door.

"Ugh! Was that really necessary?" Nick asked.

Mac was getting up off the floor and brushing herself off. "With the way you sleep. Yes. I'm goin. Have fun at your meeting." With that she walked out the door.

Nick sighed and got out of bed to pick up his clothes and headed to the bathroom to change really fast and do his other daily things. Soon after he was out the door and with Brian who was waiting in his car.

---------------

Brian turned to Nick who was driving. He was thinking about weather or not he should ask Nick about him and Mac this morning. He decided it couldn't hurt. "Hey Nick?"

"Huh?"

"What was up with you and Mac to morning?"

Nick glanced over at Brian then turned his attention back to the road. "What do you mean?" Brian sighed. "She was sleeping in your bed..."

"And? Brian I don't see your point here."

"Never mind."

"No don't 'never mind' me. What's your point?" He then smiled. "You still like her don't you?"

Brian's head shot up. "NO!" He said a little too quickly. 'Way to not give it away Brian.' He scolded himself. "No besides I have Paige."

"Sure Buddy. Just keep telling yourself that. One day you might believe it." Brian sighed. "Okay maybe. But I can't help it! I thought dating Paige would help me get over her but it's not. I don't know. I just need to figure something out."

Nick glanced at Brian again. "Anyway we watched a scary movie last night and she freaked out so she came to my room. That's all." Brian nodded.

A few minutes later they pulled into the Jive Records parking lot. "We never called to tell the guys we would be late did we?" Nick asked already knowing the answer. But Brian shook his head anyway. They both walked throught the double doors and down the hallways to their normal meeting room. When they got to the door they both took a deep breath preparing themselves for the verbal lashing Kevin would be giving them. This was going to be fun. Brian decided to be the brave one and open the door. After all it was his cousin. They were family so they he would go easier on him. He always has. As for Nick on the other hand it was different. Brian would just simply explain what happened. But before Brian could open it the door flew open it's self. Reveling a very angry Bob Carlson. Brian hadn't even thought about what their manager would think.

"Where the hell have you two been!?" Bob asked. It was clear he wasn't too happy with them being late. "And to think I called Nick first to make sure he wouldn't be late. I made it clear you had to be here on time. This meeting is very important and your late!"

"Wait Wait!" Brian said. "First off I after I talked to you I went back to sleep for awhile and my alarm never went off. He had no idea about this meeting in the first place. And second of all....okay there was no second of all. SUE ME! We were late get over it!" Everybody just stared at him. All this time Nick was quiet.

Kevin turned to him. "Cuz are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Can we just get this over with? I need sleep." Brian said shaking his head. "I'll be fine." He said still surprised Kevin hadn't lashed out on him yet.

Bob looked around while Nick and Brian took their seats around the huge conference table in the room." Now, lets get this meeting started." Bob Said. "I'm afraid I have some bad news." The guys groaned. "Oh come on you haven't even heard it yet!"

AJ spoke up. "The the more reason to groan and moan about it. I mean come on it's bad news..." AJ explained and Bob sighed.

"Your really not making this all too easy for me."

"This is what we were put on this earth to do..didn't you know that Bob?" AJ asked.

Bob ignored that comment and continued. "Anyway like I was saying before I was so rudely interupted..again"- He shot a look at all the guys then continued. "There are two very important things that need to be discussed today. Hopefully we wont have to be here longer than we need to be. First of all if you know anybody would could be of assistance for backup dancers, wardrobe, anything please contact us. We will be holding auditions for dancers later on this month. You all need to be there." Everyone looked at Bob confused. They weren't touring for a few months now. Why did they need new dancers so soon?

"And second of all as you all know you have five months off of break time for album work, touring schedules, tour work, rehearsals, and not to mention a few weeks break time away from everything. Now guys before you get all riled up I must tell you that this is very necessary and has to be done. Guys...the rest of your management team and I have decided to shorten your vacation time. Boys, we start recording next week. Be ready!" All the guys groaned and started talking at once.

"What do you mean next week?" Howie spoke up. "I have plans to go on a trip with my family. What am I going to do about that? Huh Bob?"

"Cancel it." Bob stated.

"What? No!"

"Well then I don't know what to tell you Howie."

"Yeah and I have plans with Kris and her family. You can't spring this on us this late!" Kevin also disagreed. This was not something they expected A few TV and radio interviews yes but not this.

AJ, Brian, and Nick all sat there making their objections clear. Not being happy about this but also having nothing to look forward to in the next few weeks besides the now early recording that would be starting next week. Nick had Mac, Brian had Paige, and AJ had well...his Mom. Nothing exciting there. They would just go with the flow of things.

Bob sighed. "You guys need to work with me here please. We have to speed things along faster. It's for promotional and production reasons."

Nick decided to talk. "Guys just deal with it please? You would think I would be the one up here complaining."

Kevin shot him a look. "If you had anybody to spend this time off with and places to go I'm willing to bet you would be pissed too!" He was now becoming frustrated. He knew Nick was right yet he wouldn't give in. Not to Nick his younger brother.

"Whatever Kev I have people to spend time with." Nick whined.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Your Mother lives all the way at the other side of this country, Bailey's gone for god knows what reason because you wont tell anyone but Rok over there, and all you have left is Mac and Brian...I mean come on really. And your bitching at me because I would like to spend time with my wife and her family?"

It was like Kevin had hit a nerve in him. Nick's blue eyes shot open staring straight into Kevin's green ones. "What did you say?" Nick was talking in a low voice.

Kevin looked at him surprised. By this time Nick was standing in front of Kevin. AJ got up and stood behind him just incase something happened AJ would hold him back. It wouldn't be the first time him and Kevin had to duke it out. "I said you have nobody. Nobody wants to be around you."

"No, No that's not what you said?" Nick's eyes were raging. "Don't you ever bring her up again. Never again. She's still a part of me. I chose to tell only Brian. I didn't need all that criticism from you and I still don't. Don't you ever talk about her again in my presence again. DO you hear me?" Nick said dangerously. When Kevin didn't answer he repeated himself. "DO YOU HEAR ME?!" This time yelling. Kevin nodded.

"Yeah I hear ya."

"Good." He then turned to Bob." Is that all?"

Bob nodded his head still blown away by Nick's sudden outburst. "Yeah you can all go. I'll..I'll just contact you all about studio time next week. Have a good one."

"Good come on Brian. We're leaving." With one last dirty look at his cousin Brian turned a followed him out of the conference room door. Brian knew things hadn't been too good between Nick and Kevin but he didn't know it was this bad.

---------------

"Nick I can't believe you? What happened in there?" Brian asked while they were walking to Nick's car.

Nick sighed. "I don't know okay? i just snapped. I'm so sick of him talking to me like that. I can't stand it anymore and when he mention Bailey...It just made everything worse?" Brian nodded his head in understanding.

"Yeah I know what you mean. Well having me and Mac isn't such a bad thing." They laughed.

"Yeah I guess your right. What do you say we get out of this place? Wanna get somethin for lunch?"

"Sure. I was gonna ask the rest of they guys if they wanted to get somethin then Kevin and you..but anyway that's not important right now is it? No it's not!" Brian asked while answering his own question.

Nick started the car and pulled the car out of the parking lot. "Where to?" He asked. "Hey do you think Abs would be up to coming with us?"

Brian chuckled. "A better question would be is she awake yet?"

"Naw probably not. I mean we weren't there long so ya know."

"Yeah. Nick there's a Burger King pull in. While just catch a quick lunch and bring something back to her. What do you say?"

"Sure."


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